Thursday, July 14, 2005

State of the Oligarchy Address

Since I've been complaining about several things lately, I think it's time I give you a happy sort of post about what's going on. I ripped off Andy P and a couple others for the title, but I changed it so as to better fit my situation, since I feel like I'm being pulled in quite a few directions at once these days.

To begin, the reason I've been up so late the past week or so (if you've been keeping track and the Blogger clock is accurate) is that I've got a job. I'm working through Staffing Solutions at a company called Nashua. So, at 3pm every day, I go to the plant to pack rolls and stacks of labels into little boxes for 8 hours. One of my few comforts in this job is having a friend who delivers for FedEx, so I know that the labels go somewhere and are put to use. Pathetic motivation, I know - but it works alright. The schedule is a bit harsh for Katrina and I. I work until 11:30pm, and Kat works normal hours at Girls, Inc., which is a Boys & Girls Club style place for girls only. Very feminist and socially unacceptable - except that I don't really care. We've got jobs and that's what we prayed for. Now I pray for machines to break down so I can catch up to the people running them who have been working at Nashua for three-hundred-some-odd-years. Speaking of prayers, yours would be appreciated.

Moving on, I'm not playing Wednesday nights at my church anymore. My work schedule dictated this outright, but it's something that I think God is behind. I don't know, I could be wrong. What I mean is, I think Kat and I are fazing out as worship leaders for the youth group at church. I had a talk with the student minister John the other day. We met at a new coffee shop in Halls of all places. I got a whole pitcher of great oolong tea for a buck, 37. And I had a great reuben. But I wanted to talk with him about some concerns I had about the direction that I felt the youth ministry was headed in. Turns out, I simply found out how disconnected from my church I am. It makes me want to get involved more. Not that this new job makes it any easier, but I think I'll be getting involved in some other places soon. I'm certainly praying for a place to plug in. I'm talking with the fellas down at Jammin' Java in Columbia, SC about playing a show. Randy, the house manager I assume, told me he'd like to put me as an opening, which means I'd be playing for my supper and the opportunity to sell merch. Problem is, I don't currently have any merch. That's in the works though. I'm actually hoping to have some surprise stuff at the August show, but I don't know if it will come together before then. We'll see.

Another thing my conversation with John revealed to me, besides how judgemental I am, was that the kids at Salem are wonderful people with great spirits. I felt like such an idiot because I forgot about a thing I was supposed to play at with a girl at church. The one time I get to better form a relationship with somebody and I screw it up. I hope it went well. She's a great guitarist and she's got a good attitude about most everything to boot. I'm trying to begin a new bible study with some friends of mine. I hope to go through Celebration of Discipline by R. J. Foster. He talks about several things that I feel are missing from my life or could use some polishing up. And besides, I want the accountability of studying something. Being in school didn't affect my procrastination skills too much, but it did give me deadlines. I sort of enjoyed the responsibility to be studious.

There are several new songs that are going to make an appearance at the August show, plus I'm going to blow the dust off a couple oldies and give them new faces. I think my wife might even be singing at the concert. Sefrona's opening up for us. It's always so much fun to play with those guys. They're great to be around. Come out and spend an evening with us.

Conan is long over, but the thought of Alec Baldwin and him looking Into the Future still lingers. They should make a whole tape of just sequences of that skit. Baldwin, Jimmy Fallon, and of course, William Shatner. Memorize them, love them. It's a beautiful thing. Thanks for reading. Goodnight.

acod is a good read. i'd read it intandem with someone else. you'll get more out of it. there's a book written as a response to acod. the author followed everything that foster said to the "t," and got burnt out. he basically feeds on the criticism that foster's work is a bit legalistic. i dunno. didn't see that when i read it. take it in the spirit in which it's written...

there's another good, quick read you should do. brother lawrence's "presence of god" (i believe that's the title). most translations are about 60-70 pgs long, so you can get through it quickly... but don't. spend time thinking about that french monk's experience...